2017 Bluewater International Gran Fondo a huge Hit

SOLD OUT Bluewater Gran Fondo hosted 775 riders on the shores of Lake Huron in Sarnia, Ontario

In the 150k Bluewater Gran Fondo Nicholas Dwyer from Lasalle ONT was fastest in a combined timed sections in 4h 11m 19s ahead of Benjamin Wolf from Windsor ONT and Carlo Capaldi from Ingersoll ONT rounding out the podium for the men.

For the women it was Danielle Mckibbon from Windsor ONT ahead of Kathryn Randle from Toronto ONT and Elyse Wartel from Livonia MIC

Riders also competed for category prizes on the Lambton 100K and Sarnia 50K for across age categories for both men and women.

"About 775 registered, but some had to cancel taking part for various reasons", said Kenneth MacAlpine, adding he’s extremely pleased with how the event came together.

"About 150 volunteers were set up at the start and end points in Mike Weir Park in Bright’s Grove – where a celebration was scheduled for after the ride – and along the course at food and water stations", he said.

“It’s been a lot of work, but very smooth, and the committee has done an outstanding job.”

The event’s reputation drew in notable cycling team Toronto Hustle, he said, along with participants from elsewhere across Canada and the United States.

Closer to home it was successful drawing new cyclists to weekly training rides in the lead up, he said.

“We were averaging 80-100 people show up every night.”

Hopes are to increase the number of Gran Fondo participants to about 1,000 next year, he said, noting all the money goes towards palliative care.

An Oct. 5-6 conference in Grand Bend called Lambton Palliative Care Retreat is being funded entirely from the Gran Fondo.